On Tuesday, January 28, BP Oddo joined with Councilman Steve Matteo, NYC Parks Borough Commissioner Lynda Ricciardone, representatives from the School Construction Authority and the Department of Education, and students and staff from IS 51 to officially cut the ribbon on their new playground!
 
As BP Oddo stated at the ribbon-cutting, "this project really is an example of teamwork and coordination across city government." Thank you to everyone who made this project a reality!
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This project -- jointly funded by Borough Hall, Matteo's office, Speaker Cory Johnson and Mayor Bill de Blasio -- includes a synthetic turf field with a painted track around it, new basketball courts and an area for outdoor classrooms.

 
The best news is there's money left over for phase two to renovate another portion of the playground! This phase is currently in design and final decisions have not been made about the amenities. Here are some of the recommendations for amenities that could be included in phase two:

On Monday, January 27th Borough President Oddo gathered his staff to thank retiring NYCT President Andy Byford for his dedication to improving Staten Island Commutes.

​On Tuesday, January 21, 2020, Borough President Oddo joined with NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver, NYC Parks Borough Commissioner Lynda Ricciardone, and City Councilman Joe Borelli to officially break ground for the new sensory playground coming to E.M.T. Christopher J. Prescott Playground. 

This sensory playground has been designed to challenge the body's senses – with equipment including features such as textured surfaces, patterns, shapes, talk tubes, musical play panels, swings, roller tables, balance walkers and climbers – to accommodate the needs of children with Sensory Processing Disorder.

“We want all of our kids to enjoy our parks, which is why I am so grateful to see today’s groundbreaking on an exciting and innovative addition to Staten Island’s Prescott Playground,” said BP Oddo at the groundbreaking. “We take very seriously the privilege to allocate the public’s money, and allocating this $3.9 million is a statement to our values as Staten Islanders.”

The renovation project will also provide new, inclusive play structures, swings, a spray play area with stainless steel instruments, and a small quiet area for reflection. New paths, fences, concrete pavements, and safety surfacing will also be added to the play area, as well as a new planter area, featuring new trees and a planting palette to increase shade in play areas.

The $4 million project was funded by a $3.9 million allocation from Staten Island Borough President James Oddo, and $100,000 from Council Member Joseph Borelli.

The project is expected to be completed in 12-18 months. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of making this project a reality! 

Prescott Playground, located near I.S. 7 in Huguenot, boasts swings, playgrounds for all children, spray showers and plant-beds. The playground, which is jointly operated by Parks and the Board of Education, was acquired for recreational purposes by the City in 1960. It was improved in 1966 with modular play equipment and safety surfacing under a $145,000 capital project that was funded by Council Member Vito Fosella. The playground was renamed in 1997 in honor of Christopher J. Prescott (1972-1994), a Staten Island native who was the first New York City EMS worker to be killed in the line of duty.

Over 400 people attended a Forest Ecology Forum on Tuesday, November 19 at the College of Staten Island to hear presentations on severe damage to the health of Staten Island’s thousands of acres of woodlands, caused primarily by deer.
 
The Borough President and the New York State DEC held this forum to raise awareness about the impacts deer are having on native vegetation and forest animals, and also the broader issue that our forests are ecosystems with interdependent roles for native plants and wildlife.
 
The DEC has documented the damage on Staten Island by over-browsing of deer to the point where few new trees are surviving past the seedling stage. Oak trees, for example, were heavily browsed. With no new trees growing, the future of our Greenbelt and other forests is at risk.
 
Evidence was also presented about how deer over-browsing on native plants and berries on the forest floor can collapse the woodland ecosystem and invite unwanted invasive species of plants. We can halt this rapidly growing threat, but we are running out of time.
 
Many of the 400 attendees were members of Protectors of Pine Oak Woods and the Greenbelt Conservancy, two of Staten Island’s leading conservation organizations. Also in attendance were students and teachers from Staten Island schools and many concerned citizens.  This was the first major briefing for Staten Islanders on this topic.
 
We were fortunate to have three experts present their work at the forum. Dr. William McShea, Research Ecologist from the Smithsonian Institute’s Conservation Ecology Center, spoke about the pressures on forests in the entire Northeast/Mid-Atlantic from overpopulation by white-tailed deer, which reach unhealthy densities as natural predators like bears, cougars and wolves have been removed from ecosystems. 
 
Dr. Susan Elbin, NYC Audubon Director of Conservation and Science, followed with a presentation focused on the impacts on forest birds when native plants are over-browsed and supplanted with invasive species.
 
Ken Scarlatelli, NYS DEC Regional Natural Resources Supervisor, provided field evidence on the effects of over-browsing by deer in Staten Island’s forests – particularly on State lands. To view the PowerPoint presentations given by the listed presenters, please visit our website here.
 
The Borough President put together this forest ecology forum to educate and inspire Staten Islanders to join our call for action. To make a change, Staten Island residents who care about forests need to be active voices in future management decisions.
 
At the Forum, Borough President Oddo stated that we collectively want to hear ideas on addressing the problem: “I publicly have stated that I support a highly managed and monitored cull which is the only way to immediately and humanely reduce the deer population – an approach that is done effectively throughout New York State and the Northeast…but I also invited Staten Islanders to offer alternatives that will help reduce the deer population to safe levels and protect the forests.”
 
Borough President Oddo emphasized that we did not want to draw battle lines on this issue of deer management, but rather collectively discuss the options, using science-based facts as our guide.
 
A panel discussion followed led by the College of Staten Island’s biology and environmental science departments. Those on the panel included:
 

• James Oddo, Staten Island Borough President
• Dr. William McShea, Research Ecologist, Smithsonian Institute’s Conservation Ecology Center
• Dr. Susan Albin, Director of Conservation and Science, NYC Audubon
• Ken Scarlatelli, Regional Natural Resources Supervisor, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (Region II)
• Cliff Hagen, President, Protectors of Pine Oak Woods
• Dr. Bonnie Johnson Fritz, Board President, Greenbelt Conservancy
• Neophytos A. Antoniades, Ph. D, Professor and Chair, Engineering & Environmental Science Department, College of Staten Island
• Chang-Hui Shen, Ph. D, Professor and Chair, Biology Department, College of Staten Island
• Patti Rafferty Chief, Resource Stewardship, Gateway National Recreation Area
• Dr. Susan Booth-Benczik, Wildlife Biologist, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
• Kristy King, Director of Natural Areas Restoration & Management, Forestry, Horticulture, & Natural Resources, New York City Parks Department

 
Panel members answered audience questions about deer and the state of Staten Island’s forests, issuing a call to action to Staten Islanders to be active voices in future management decisions.

One important take-away from this forum is that -- to care about animals, we have to care about the ecosystems in which the animals live. Otherwise we are fooling ourselves. The animals will starve and disappear if their habitat is compromised. This is a complicated issue but clearly there is a great deal of passion to slow the steady denuding of our Greenbelt, our parks and our woodlands.

Borough President James Oddo is pleased to announce that his office’s tourism initiative, VISIT Staten Island, has received The Tourism Excellence Award for a Public Relations Campaign from the New York State Tourism Industry Association at a ceremony held last week in Auburn, New York.

The Tourism Excellence Award for a Public Relations Campaign was presented to Jennifer Sammartino, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Colleen Siuzdak, Manager of VISIT Staten Island, during the state association’s annual meeting Friday morning among 9 other awardees throughout the state. Among those counties recognized along with Staten Island included Long Island, Central New York, the Hudson Valley, and the Finger Lakes.

With the collaboration of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce and Destination St. George, VISIT Staten Island was able to receive a New York state grant last year to allocate funds for this rebranding and marketing of the borough as a destination. ThoughtMatter, a Manhattan-based branding agency, designed the brand and fully captured the essence of Staten Island as a place where people live, work, and play, with the rebranded campaign slogan of “The Unexpected Borough.”

The New York State Tourism Industry Association recognizes leaders in New York State's tourism industry who have achieved a high level of excellence and accomplishment. Individuals and organizations are selected from nominees that have demonstrated commitment, leadership, and accomplishment in the travel and tourism sector from January 1, 2018 to May 31, 2019.

“This was the right time to begin to market Staten Island as a destination,” said Borough President Oddo. “The borough has so much to offer – from history, to food, to experiences, to shopping. We have it all and the whole world is starting to get the message.”

“It’s an honor to be recognized by NYSTIA for our efforts,” said Sammartino, Deputy Chief of Staff. “With the help of our amazing partners – I LOVE NY, the SI Chamber of Commerce, Destination St. George and ThoughtMatter – we were able to create a beautiful campaign that reflects what a gem Staten Island really is.”

The New York State Tourism Industry Association brings together those who support the state’s $115 billion tourism industry as a way to increase economic development in the 62 counties of New York State. In 2018, these state-wide efforts welcomed 253 million visitors with direct spending totaling $72 billion. Although all partners focus on the visitor experience, these members also strive to improve the quality of life and pride of place for all New Yorkers.

About VISIT Staten Island:
VISIT Staten Island was created in 2009 to highlight Staten Island as a fun, family-friendly, and historical destination to visit. The initiative is managed by Staten Island Borough President James Oddo's Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, an office created in 2017. The VISIT Staten Island initiative was rebranded in 2018 to incentivize those travelling from Manhattan to stay on Staten Island and spend the day at one of the many cultural attractions, shops, and restaurants. The campaign, “The Unexpected Borough,” also encourages residents to explore their own backyard and take advantage of the programs and events that are found so close to home. 

On Wednesday, September 18, Borough President Oddo joined with NYC SCA President and CEO Lorraine Grillo, DOE officials, Hungerford School Principal Kristin McHugh, and elected officials for the official groundbreaking of the new four-story 456-seat Hungerford school building for District 75 students on Staten Island.

“Regardless of how this day has started for you,” said Borough President Oddo at the groundbreaking, “at the end of this day please say aloud to your loved ones ‘this was a good day’ because it certainly is. This is the next chapter of the story about a state-of-the-art new school being constructed for Hungerford students and one about the persistence and grit from Kevin Moran, who willed it into existence through sheer determination. The end result will be a new school that will educate future generations of students in a manner they deserve. I am grateful for all those in DOE and the School Construction Authority for making this a reality. To all the parents, families and educators who have advocated and fought for this over the years, thank you as well and congratulations."

The new Richard H. Hungerford School will be located on the Michael J. Petrides Educational Complex.

“We are thrilled to be doing this. This is going to be a spectacular school,” said NYC SCA President Lorraine Grillo speaking on the amenities that will be available at the new Hungerford School including: braille signage in every room, elevators on all floors, and wheelchair ramps. The new building will also include hearing loops, a wire that circles a room connected to a sound system which hearing-impaired students can connect to via their hearing aids or cochlear implants.
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Inclusion opportunities will be available for Hungerford School students across the entire Petrides campus.

Other amenities will include: 38 special education classrooms, Rooms for physical, occupational and speech therapy, stationary exercise room, full kitchen complex, library, guidance and medical suites, culinary art room, print/photography room, as well as administrative suite, conference room, teacher work room and parent room. 

Construction began in July on this $78 million investment. The project is expected to be completed for the start of the 2021-2022 school-year.

Photos courtesy of NYC SCA. 

​Borough President James Oddo sponsored a Lyme Disease Awareness Forum on Monday, June 17th. This free event took place at 7pm at Wagner College (1 Campus Road) in a Spiro Hall lecture room. Over 150 Staten Islanders came out to learn how to protect themselves and their loved ones from ticks and Lyme disease. After having to reschedule in May due to inclement weather, we were extremely pleased to hold a standing room only event.
 
“Our quest to mitigate the growing number of Staten Islanders suffering from Lyme disease is being fought on many fronts, and educating the public about the disease and how it is spread is a vital step. We will continue to raise awareness on this topic because it is real and it is affecting Staten Islanders,” said Borough President Oddo.
 
At the forum, researchers from NYC DOHMH presented an update on their surveillance measures with statistical updates on the incidence of Lyme disease cases in New York City and on Staten Island as well as information on the black-legged ticks that are vectors for the disease. Borough President Oddo was pleased to hear their tick surveillance has been increased from 14 to 24 sites in parks across our borough and that they will be implementing Met52 in their tick control measures, a fungus based approach that kills ticks without hurting any other invertebrates.
 
Maria Diuk-Wasser, Associate Professor and Researcher at Columbia University, presented information on how exactly ticks get around and where people are exposed to ticks. Can you guess how ticks ‘move’ around parks in New York City? That’s right – deer. Deer are where ticks meet and reproduce. She stressed that connectivity is key, as only parks close to other parks in NYC have ticks. Parks surrounded by vegetation and are more connected to others by habitat corridors have more ticks infected with the Lyme bacteria. We continue fight for ways to control the deer population to also reduce the tick numbers and Lyme cases on Staten Island.
 
Attendees also heard from Dr. Christopher J. Pappas, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Manhattanville College, who talked about what attracts the different types of ticks we have on Staten Island, how to avoid them and prevent tick bites, as well as do’s and don’ts on tick removal. Among many tips, one that stuck out: make sure to put clothes in the dryer, not the washer to kill ticks. Drying ticks out kills the ticks.

Dr. Ernest Visconti, pediatric infectious disease specialist, moderated a question and answer period with the audience following the pretensions.

Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School tabled at the event showing their school projects to educate Staten Islanders on how to protect themselves from ticks and Lyme disease. 
 
Here is the link to the PowerPoint presentations from the forum: http://www.statenislandusa.com/lymeforumslides.

​On Thursday, June 14th, Borough President Oddo joined with members of the NYPD, District Attorney Mike McMahon, and the DOE to congratulate the 5th and 7th grade students who participated in the "Too Good For Drugs" program at PS 21 and St. Adalbert's School.

The “Too Good For Drugs” curriculum is co-taught in the classroom by a police officer and a teacher. The program, which is in its fourth year, takes place in 5th, 7th and 9th grade classes in public and parochial schools across the borough.
 
"The amazing officers have taught us to be a good influence on others," said PS 21 students thanking the NYPD officers for teaching the ‘Too Good For Drugs’ Curriculum. “Thank you and stay safe.”
 
Laura Timoney, BP Oddo's Deputy Director of Education, address the students speaking on why the 'Too Good For Drug" Program is important: “You all know you do better on a test when you study. That’s what this program exist for: to prepare you for the time when you’re faced with a tough decision of following along with your friends or choosing to say no."

At the end of the ceremony, students took a pledge to abstain from tobacco, alcohol and drugs, led by NYPD Chief Kenneth Corey.